How we use data

The Data Hub is used to help us understand demands and improve services across our region. It supports the system and our partners by showing:

• where contracts providing services are in the right places
• how services are being delivered
• where improvements are needed

It also helps us meet NHS reporting requirements and support national initiatives with reliable, joined-up data.

We use pseudonymised data, where names and personal details are replaced with encrypted codes. This means we can see patterns and trends without knowing who the data belongs to.

This gives us information such as understand which services are in demand and when, the impact that delays can have, and where there are gaps in care. This information is then used to help us understand how we can make services fairer for everyone, across all our communities.

We use information from The Data Hub to understand the quality of services being delivered. This can range from straightforward measures, such as waiting times, to more complex areas of care, such as the effectiveness of treatments or entire care pathways.

Evaluating services is essential to ensure they are achieving what they should, meeting our ambitions, and remaining affordable. The Data Hub allows us to carry out this evaluation in a more joined up way.

By bringing together data from multiple partners, we can see how different parts of the system work together, identify where improvements are needed, and ensure that the care we provide is both high quality and sustainable.

In some cases, data needs to be linked to a named person so health or care professionals can provide the right support at the right time. These uses are strictly controlled, with access limited to authorised teams and governed by legal frameworks.

We use identifiable data to support direct care in a number of ways:

Surgical Waiting Lists

We review surgical waiting lists and bring in facts from other data sources to support good quality screening. This helps us manage efficiently and reduce cancellations if someone isn’t ready for their operation.

GP Practice Support

We help busy GP practices identify who is due for health checks and highlight areas of the system that may need additional support or information.

Care Audits

We support provider organisations with audits of the care they’ve delivered. In some cases, it’s valuable to understand which other services have been involved in a person’s care — helping us learn from the full picture and improve how we work together